Customer Reviews

Dead Generation

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The L.A.-based Sloth (not to be confused with a band with the same name from Pennsylvania) has been in existence for the better part of a decade now, but recently emerged with their debut album, Dead Generation. I will say this about Sloth - they are not going to take the world by storm with a groundbreaking, stunningly original sound, but they make up for this with their songwriting and solid performances.

Frontman Richard Love has a wide range - he can bellow like Chris Cornell but also take a more subdued approach when it's called for. Guitarist Kristo Panos clearly has his influences, but he constructs some nice riffs, can play with a variety of tempos, and brings in a style that makes Sloth unique - you can hear a Greek bouzouki style that punctuates a few tracks on the album. The rhythm section build a firm foundation for the band, which has a sound that draws on everything from '70s hard rock to the psychedelic flourishes of Jane's Addiction to the pure vitriol of today's nu-metal scene. Highlights include the anthemic title track, the catchy and dynamic "All We Know", and the punk-informed intensity of "Media".

In summary: Sloth is a band that clearly has its influences, but builds on them and manages to create something new out of the mix. I think that they're capable of coming up with something that's more original, and it's likely that they'll come up with something a bit more distinct on their next album, but this is a solid effort that should at least garner a hit or two on rock radio stations - if some highly derivative bands out there can do it, so can Sloth with the right support.

How did I come about to hear Sloth?? Well I saw them live. They were the opener for the opener for Fuel. And let me tell you, from song one, they had me. Their stage presence was AMAZING, so I bought the CD there at the concert. This was a few months ago. I met Andy, the bass player, sweetheart of a guy and um...yeah, hot too. :P haha

The song that stood out to me most on the CD was "Someday"...then my second favorite was "Dead Generation". My son, who's 13, is learning "Someday" on guitar right now. Other songs I like..."All We Know", "Myself", "Even Though It's Over". The only song I don't like...is "Broken Crutch"...just because there's something about "Jesus" being yelled over and over like that that I just can't listen to. I like the song itself, I just don't like that part of the song.

I definitely recommend this CD. I've passed it on to several people who loved it as well. Even sent a copy to a friend in England...who plays it all the time. I definitely recommend to anyone and everyone to see them live. They kick major butt and I can't wait to see them again...especially since I know the songs better now.

Buy it!! :P

Why did this band fail so bad when they have a great live show and absolute ear candy with this album. Sure its not the most technical guitar album and can be a bit repetitive with some of the riffs/vox. There is nothing particularly flashy about it except maybe some of the high notes Richard Love hits but its extremely well structured and tight. Every riff jams and every note works perfectly. Its edgy yet smooth with some awesome abstract interludes like in broken crutch and billygoat. I am a very hard ear to please, i hate most modern rock bands, they sing about how "b****es they don't even like f*** well" or another overly dramatic war song that has as much feeling as a blank piece of computer paper. At least these guys kept things real. I read somewhere that they had a really hard time trying to get shows/signed so they followed warped tour around and played in the parking lot for people going in, eventually 1 of the headliners (i forget who) hooked them up. This band reminds me of Jimmies Chicken Shack in a way, not musically but each band had 1 amazing album (pushing the salmonella envelope) and than faded into obscurity. This album is a must buy if you like post-grunge.

Great band. Cool sound. Download would not register on my phone as an album only separate songs. I got Media Monkey software and fixed the problem. Also converts media player songs to mp3(less hassle than wma for mobile music players)and embeded album art to all my songs (so art shows while playing each song)I made Lemons into Lemonade!

like i said above, i bought this cd without listening to a single song off of it and it is an amazing underrated rockin album. Sloth's music is experimental, groundbreaking, and in the end just great music.

I think that this band puts on a good show, and for my first time seeing and hearing them, they "ROCKED" This album is a must buy I think.

I didn't even know that Sloth existed till I heard them on the music channel with the song "Someday." When I first heard it, I thought it was good, but not the best that I have heard. However, since I heard it it stuck in my brain and stayed there, and then it came on again. I liked it better than I did before, but it wasn't until I heard "Dead Generation" that I decided to download (yes I said it, so kiss my arse RIAA) and see for myself just how great this band is. Well, as far as their overall musicianship is concerned, this band has to be one of the most energetic bands I have ever heard before. In fact, this band reminds me most of Noise Therapy, with just a hint of Onesidezero mixed in. If you haven't heard of Noise Therapy or Onesidezero...well then...ok. Basically this band says some of their influences are Staind, Tool, Breaking Benjamin, and Pantera. So I guess that's about all the best I can do to describe this band's alt-heavy sound. Now, for the lyrics. I felt that the lyrics lacked a lot of substance, and some words are just repeated over and over too. There were signs of better lyrical ability in a couple songs like "Broken Crutch and "Media" (which is a terrific song despite what that one idiot said) but other than that...The singer does extremely well at both singing and screaming. At times he hits some high notes that will really amaze you. The singer reminds me a lot of the singer from Onesidezero, vocals that have a mixed sound of Aaron Lewis from Staind and Maynard James Keenan from Tool. When he is not singing, he is screaming at the top of his lungs and he can do that for a pretty good amount of time. For some reason, he reminds me also of Zach De La Rocha (Rage Against the Machine) at times when he screams. On this album, there is a great mixture of both head-banging riffs and melodic composition. Sloth may have sub-par lyrics, but their sound makes up for it.

so i heard "someday" which is a pretty crappy song if you ask me, but after hearing "dead generation" on espn, i decided to give this band a try-excellent choice."all we know" is one of the best songs ive heard in a long time with "media", "nothing's new", and "myself" checking in at a close second, third , and fourth.the songwriting is very well done and very original compared to today's stuff.this is an outstanding hard rock album from a band that can go anywhere at anytime.

This is one of those albums where you can listen to it, and just think...this album is BADASS. "All We Know" is such a cool song and an awesome way to open the album. The best song on the album, though, is easily "Myself"...not to say the other songs aren't good, but "Myself" is unbelievably awesome. This is one of the best albums I've heard in a long time.

Personally, I'd give the cd around a 9 out of 10, so I just decided to round up. Anyways, my thoughts on the cd... I think it's great. I like all of the songs, even if some of them are odd. I suppose you get used to weird songs after listening to every NIRVANA song you can get your hands on. So, if you want a good cd with some great rock music, especially compared to a lot of stuff out there, grab Sloth off the shelves and give them a listen. If you're not comfortable buying the cd without listening to it, go to www.slothmusic.com and check it out before buying. Enjoy